Can I prepare the baked rice in advance?

You can mix the rice with the seasoning and cheese in the dish up until adding the hot stock, and set it aside until you're ready to bake. It'll be fine for an hour or so on the counter, but any longer, pop it in the fridge. Once you add the liquid, you need to bake it. You can bake and then reheat the rice - cover the dish in foil

Do I need to rinse the rice?

I don't! You can if you want to, but in my experience, it doesn't make a big difference in this recipe.

Can I use jasmine rice for this baked rice?

Jasmine rice should work similarly to my recommended long-grain or basmati rice, but it's a little softer and stickier, so you might find the texture a little less fluffy.

Could I add chicken or vegetables to baked rice?

I'd be careful adding too many extras like this because they can release a lot of water, which can impact the cook time and texture of the rice. Shredded cooked chicken would be fine to add, or you could add cooked shrimp (prawns) at the end.

Can I use brown rice for this baked rice recipe?

Brown rice needs different liquid ratios, so it won't work in the recipe as written, and I haven't tested it with brown rice, so I can't tell you for sure how well it would work.

Life Changing Loaded Baked Rice

Description

Baked rice might be the easiest way to make rice, ever. This loaded version turns a handful of simple ingredients into something seriously special. Think fluffy, fragrant rice, lots of garlic and ginger, three types of cheese, and a zingy chili crisp drizzle. It’s wonderful as a stand-alone meal, but also makes a scene-stealing side.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the loaded baked rice -

1 1/2 cups of long-grain white rice (like basmati)
2 1/2 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 scallions, chopped
A handful of chives, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
3.5oz (100g) feta, crumbled
3.5oz (100g) sharp cheddar, grated
2oz (50g) Parmesan, grated
2 tablespoons chili crisp or chili oil
2 tablespoons dukkah
A handful of basil leaves, chopped

Essential equipment -

A baking dish, approximately 12 inches (30cm) long and 8 inches (20cm) wide.
Aluminum foil

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Instructions

Prepare the rice. Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C fan). Add 1 ½ cups of long-grain white rice, the white parts of the scallions, most of the chives (keep some aside to scatter on top to serve), the crushed garlic, ginger, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric, and ½ teaspoon of salt to an oven dish (approximately 12″/30cm x 8″/20cm). Give everything a mix so the seasoning is evenly distributed throughout the rice.
Add the cheese and stock. Scatter the cheese all over the rice, then again, give it a mix through and a little shake so that it’s evenly dispersed and dotted throughout the rice. Pour the hot stock and melted butter into the dish, then seal tightly with aluminum foil. PRO TIP: Your stock must be hot when you add it to the rice – if it’s cold, your rice will need A LOT longer to cook in the oven. You can either bring your stock to a boil on the stove-top before adding it to the rice, or add boiling water to a stock cube.
Bake the rice. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After this time, remove the dish from the oven but leave the foil on top for a further 10 minutes, to let the rice finish cooking.
Garnish and serve. Remove the foil, then drizzle the chili crisp over the rice. Scatter the remaining scallions, chives, and basil leaves on top, then sprinkle over the dukkah and serve.

Notes

LONG-GRAIN RICE IS KEY: You really need to use long-grain white rice in this recipe for it to work properly. Basmati is best, but Jasmine will work too; it might just be a bit softer. Avoid brown rice, risotto rice, sushi (short-grain) rice, wild rice, or paella rice, as the liquid ratios need to be different to work.

PREP AHEAD: You can prepare the rice in the dish up until adding the hot stock and set it aside until you’re ready to bake it – it’ll be fine for an hour on the counter, but any longer, pop it in the fridge. Once you add the liquid, you’ll need to bake it.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave until piping hot, or on the stovetop. Or, you could use any leftovers to make this lovely satay crispy rice salad or chicken shawarma crispy rice salad.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: This rice is great as a meal by itself, but it’s wonderful served alongside grilled miso chicken, honey harissa chicken, juicy herb roast chicken, miso maple salmon, whole roasted miso cauliflower, lamb koftas, or zucchini meatballs.

TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS: If your rice is a bit dry or crunchy when you remove the foil, add a little extra hot stock or boiling water (¼ cup), then cover the dish again tightly and pop back into the oven for another five or ten minutes. If there’s still a bit of liquid in your dish when you uncover your rice, you can pop it, uncovered, back into the oven for another five or ten minutes until it’s nice and fluffy.

Nutrition is an estimate and will vary based on the stock, cheese, and chili crisp you use.

Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 30
Category: sides
Method: oven
Cuisine: mediterranean

Nutrition

Serving Size: 200g
Calories: 415
Sugar: 2g
Sodium: 1075mg
Fat: 21g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Unsaturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 42g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 15g
Cholesterol: 49mg